This blog was created for Niles Animal Hospital & Bird Medical Center by Peter S. Sakas DVM in an effort to provide information & discussion about animal related issues. It may move into some eccentric directions on occasion if the mood strikes me as I get more comfortable in this form of communication. I am open to suggestions & comments about the blog. Also view our hospital website www.nilesanimalhospital.com or Facebook page Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Meet 5 Incredible 'Bionic' Pets With Prosthetic Limbs

Meet 5 Incredible 'Bionic' Pets With Prosthetic Limbs

Nora lost her back legs to an unknown
trauma a few years ago. Her prosthetics do a good job protecting her
back legs and allowing her to move naturally.

Courtesy Mark Stevens/mstevensphoto.com

If the Six Million Dollar Man had a pet sidekick, it would probably be
one of these incredible animals. While not exactly bionic, all of them
were fitted with an artificial limb after an amputation.

These resilient creatures prove that people aren’t the only ones who can
benefit from amazing advances in prosthetic technology. Experts say
more and more of our animal friends are being fitted with replacement
parts that help them get back on their paws, feet or fins in no time.

“When we started building prosthetics for animals back in 2002, we would
do maybe one or two a month,” said Martin Kaufmann, co-founder of
OrthoPets, a Colorado-based animal prosthetic maker. “Now we make eight
to ten a week.”

Courtesy orthopets.com

Sally,
a 6-year-old Saluki was found in Iraq by an American soldier and was
brought to the U.S. for treatment for a damaged hind leg. She received
an implant about four years ago. The veterinarian who performed her
surgery adopted her.

The main reason animals are receiving prosthetic limbs more often than
in the past, Kaufmann believes, is because we humans have come to look
upon ourselves as the guardians of our four-legged friends rather than
the owners of disposable possessions.

“Once you see yourself as a guardian, you can look at animals through a
different lens,” he said. “Your mindset is not to euthanize or chop off a
leg, but to help them get back to normal function.”

Courtesy Orthopets.com

Tripod,
a rescue llama, fractured his back left leg and ultimately it was
amputated. Now fitted with a prosthetic, he works as a guard llama on an
alpaca ranch in Colorado.

The most common site of prosthetic limb replacement on an animal is the
paw or foot, Kaufmann said. When a four-legged animal has an amputation
of the front leg, it’s usually high up near the shoulder. In a back leg
amputation, only the lower portion of the leg typically gets removed.

Socket prostheses are the most common type of replacement limb used in
animals. They slip over the limb stump and then strap or buckle into
place. Newer, integrated prostheses involve implanting one part of the
device into the bone and then anchoring another removable part into it
with a screw. Either kind provides long-lasting limb support and more
natural movement, Kaufmann said.

Reuters Photo

Motala,
a 50-year-old elephant in Thailand who lost her left front leg after
stepping on a land mine a few years ago, received a new leg.

A typical dog prosthetis paw costs between $1,200 and $1,500 dollars,
Kaufmann said. Cat replacement limbs are smaller and less expensive.
Prosthetic limbs made for larger beasts like llamas, cows or horses are
more expensive.

Most animals are first fitted with a temporary teaching prosthetic. Then
once they get the hang of it – typically in about two weeks – they’re
switched over to permanent hardware, Kaufmann said, adding that all
animals have that eureka moment when they figure out how to use their
new limb.

“It’s the most exciting thing in the world to watch,” he said.

Courtesy Orthopets.com

Bunker
lives on a golf course in Canada. His leg was struck and fractured by a
golf ball. A local vet teamed up with OrthoPets to donate his
amputation and new limb. He’s now happily roaming the golf course once
again.

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